High words took place between Mr. and Mrs. Newcome that night on the
gentleman's return home from the City, and on his learning the events of
the morning. It is to be feared he made use of further oaths, which hasty
ejaculations need not be set down in this place; at any rate, he behaved
with spirit and manliness as master of the house, vowed that if any
servant laid a hand on the child, he would thrash him first and then
discharge him; and I dare say expressed himself with bitterness and
regret that he had married a wife who would not be obedient to her
husband, and had entered a house of which he was not suffered to be the
master. Friends were called in--the interference, the supplications, of
the Clapham clergy, some of whom dined constantly at the Hermitage,
prevailed to allay this domestic quarrel; and no doubt the good sense of
Mrs. Newcome--who, though imperious, was yet not unkind; and who,
excellent as she was, yet could be brought to own that she was sometimes
in fault--induced her to make at least a temporary submission to the man
whom she had placed at the head of her house, and whom it must be
confessed she had vowed to love and honour. When Tommy fell ill of the
scarlet fever, which afflicting event occurred presently after the above
dispute, his own nurse, Sarah, could not have been more tender, watchful,
and affectionate than his stepmother showed herself to be. She nursed him
through his illness; allowed his food and medicine to be administered by
no other hand; sat up with the boy through a night of his fever, and
uttered not one single reproach to her husband (who watched with her)
when the twins took the disease (from which we need not say they happily
recovered); and though young Tommy, in his temporary delirium, mistaking
her for Nurse Sarah, addressed her as his dear Fat Sally--whereas no
whipping-post to which she ever would have tied him could have been
leaner than Mrs. Newcome--and, under this feverish delusion, actually
abused her to her face; calling her an old cat, an old Methodist, and,
jumping up in his little bed, forgetful of his previous fancy, vowing